Fruit-eating Lepidoptera are an important worldwide pest. Even a small percentage of infestation can be economically more significant than the monetary value of the fruit, due to the increased cost of sorting before packing and the increased infestation potential for the ensuing season. Overwintering larvae, upon emerging from diapause enter fruit after blossom causing the first generation. As many as three generations may occur during a growing season, facilitating Lepidoptera populations to develop resistance to environmental toxins such as insecticides.
Although numerous insecticides may control Lepidoptera effectively, most require frequent application. As a result, the efficacy of the insecticides may be severely compromised by the development of resistant populations such as acylurea-resistant, pyrethroid-resistant, and organophosphate-resistant Lepidoptera.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a unique and highly effective compound useful for the control of resistant populations of Lepidoptera.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method to enhance the protection of fruit crops from the infestation and attack of acylurea-resistant, pyrethroid-resistant, and organophosphate-resistant Lepidoptera.
It is an advantage of this invention that the method of control of resistant Lepidoptera populations is non-harmful to beneficial insect species and is fairly benign to the environment.
These and other features and objects of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description set forth below.